2 die in deadly fires a day apart in Stockton

STOCKTON — A man in his early 50s died Monday afternoon as the result of a north Stockton house fire just a few blocks east of where an elderly woman succumbed a day earlier to smoke from a fire in her home, according to the Stockton Fire Department.

STOCKTON — A man in his early 50s died Monday afternoon as the result of a north Stockton house fire just a few blocks east of where an elderly woman succumbed a day earlier to smoke from a fire in her home, according to the Stockton Fire Department.

Monday's fire was in a single-family residence at the southwest corner of Burns Place and MacDuff Avenue. The victim has not yet been identified pending notification of family members.

Sunday's fire was in a single-family residence in the 2000 block of Portola Avenue. The San Joaquin County Coroner's Office identified the victim in that fire as Carla Vadis Larson, 73.

According to Fire Department spokesman Jeff Whitlock, the victim in the Burns Place fire was discovered in a back bedroom when firefighters arrived shortly after 2:30 p.m. Monday. They had to endure “flames blowing out the front of the house and a tremendous amount of obstacles” — including furniture and a lot of miscellaneous stacked items — to get to the victim, Whitlock said. In addition to the victim, three dogs and one cat died in the fire.

“This is a tragic, tragic incident,” Whitlock said. “I don't know if they had a working smoke detector, but smoke inhalation appears to be the cause. It lends the cause that people need to check your smoke detectors.”

Sunday's fire on Portola Avenue was reported at 11:45 a.m. When firefighters arrived, they discovered Larson in full arrest. She was taken to a hospital but could not be revived.

Fire Battalion Chief Matt Duaime said the cause of the fire may have been smoking. Upon arrival at the two-alarm blaze, firefighters had to contend with a thick blanket of smoke just 1 foot off the floor and a complicated floor plan.

When they discovered Larson, she was in full arrest but had a pulse when she was taken to a hospital. She could not be revived. Larson's two dogs died in the fire. But her calico cat, Talulah, survived and was rescued Monday by Larson's caregiver.

Read Tuesday's Record for more on this story by staff writer Joe Goldeen.